Ravioli sweets of Bologna. Here is my recipe, many twists, many ideas. We really have an embarrassment of options when getting to know our culinary heritage.
I wouldn’t know which region to put first; certainly I know some regions better than others, but I assure you you never stop discovering something special.
Sweet raviolo from Bologna, although as an imported recipe Anita used to make the sweet ravioli, simple and tasty. Amaretti and plums in the filling — I loved it; last year I gathered many wild ones, so I had no problems creating something special.
An intense, crumbly shortcrust pastry that encloses a filling that takes you back in time by memory; amaretti in many regional recipes of cooking were the base for many fillings — why, who knows? Dry amaretti were produced in many Italian areas, among the first Piedmont, Liguria and Sicily, using armelline (the apricot kernel) at a price that made them usable to give powerful flavors and aromas, or almonds where cultivation was abundant. Now you find them everywhere, but in the past they were the priority of warmer regions. While in the north apricots prevailed, which explains this difference.
Some regional sweet recipes:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Rest time: 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 2 Hours
- Cooking time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 30 ravioli
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Father's Day, All seasons
Ingredients for Bologna ravioli
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/8 cups butter
- 1 sachet baking powder
- 2 eggs
- to taste lemon zest
- to taste plum jam
- 7 oz amaretti (dried)
Useful tools to make Bologna sweet ravioli
Mixing bowl or stand mixer, rolling pin and cookie cutter, bowl to mix the filling… You can find the tools I use in my buying tips
- Kitchen scales
- Stand mixers
Steps for Bologna sweet ravioli
One of the traditional recipes that is easy to make and delicious to remember. Sometimes they open at the top; for me that’s not a problem — you can see the filling and it makes you want to taste them even more.
Prepare the shortcrust dough by mixing the flour, sugar and baking powder, then add the butter in pieces, the eggs and the lemon zest. As soon as you obtain a dough ball, let it rest for about half an hour in the refrigerator, covered in a container so the surface does not dry out. Meanwhile prepare the filling: chop the amaretti and mix them with the plum jam. Make a soft but not overly wet mixture.
After the resting time, roll out on the work surface and cut discs about 2 3/8 inches in diameter.
Distribute the filling.
Fold into a half-moon and, using the tines of a fork, crimp the edge as shown in the photo.
Brush the surface with sugar and bake in a preheated oven at 356°F for about 15 minutes. Let them brown well.
The sweet ravioli from Bologna are ready to enjoy. Try dipping them in a good white wine or serve with hot chocolate. And then eat them whenever you fancy something tasty! In the province of Bologna many towns even hold festivals dedicated to this delicious raviolo.
A few extra tips
The sweet ravioli from Bologna: roll the sheet to about 3-4 mm. Too thin it will break; too thick it will just taste like a cookie. Lightly brush the edges with a little milk or egg white before folding into a half-moon. Press well with the tines of a fork to create the classic decorative edge.
Do not use butter that is too cold.
